Canadians pay tribute in Nanjing

Shortly before Tomb Sweeping Day, which fell on Thursday, many overseas Chinese and foreigners visited the Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, to remember the dead and call for peace.

During a visit organized by Canada's Nanjing Fellow Association, about 100 Canadians of Chinese origin wore violet cress-shaped badges as symbols of peace while paying tribute to the victims. Wang Haicheng, president of the association, presented three original documents to the memorial hall, including the motion introduced by Huang Sumei - the first Chinese-Canadian woman elected to the Ontario regional parliament - to designate Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day to remember the victims.

The other two were a statement by Jenny Kwan, Member of Parliament of the New Democratic Party, to call on the Canadian government to proclaim Dec 13 as Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day, and the motion passed by the Toronto City Council in December 2016 - which was introduced by Councilor Jim Karygiannis - to recognize the Nanjing Massacre as a historical event.